Looking someone in the eye while you talk is a quiet way of saying you stand behind your words.

Eye contact does a great deal of work without carrying any content. It signals that you are present, that you are not hedging, and that you intend to stay for whatever comes back. People read it faster than they read your words, which is why a good point delivered to the floor lands weakly. It is not about dominance but about being willing to be seen saying the thing.

Hold it a beat longer than feels comfortable in one conversation this week, particularly when what you are saying matters to you.